Compound weeding and scraping implement.



A. E. STAPLES. COMPOUND WEEDING AND SCRAPING IMPLEMENT. APPLiCATIONFILED OCT-7.1914.

1, 1 53,721 Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

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barren smarts rarnivr oration.

AUGUSTINE n. STAPLES,

OF CHESTER, VERMONT.

.QOMPOUND WEEDING- AND SGRAPING IMPLEMENT.

To all whom it may concern Be it known. that I, AUGUSTINE E. STAPLES,

. a-citizen of the United States, residing at Chester, in the county ofWindsor and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and IusefulImprovements in Compound Weeding and Scraping Implements, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to weeding lmplements, and pertains especially toa com in one and the same implement a looped weeder, a weeding blade,and a blade for carding and scraping purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle head withspecial means for attaching the looped weeder and the weeding blade soas to permit the loop to be swung to various angles relative to theblade and to the handle head by merely compressing the loop and pushingor pulling the same on its pivot into desired position where it is heldby said special means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the loopwith atoothed blade for scraping trees andplants, and for carding animals, andto furnish the toothed blade with novel and peculiar spring clampinghangers. q 7

Various other objects and purposes may be foundfor the combination:implement in the practical application thereof.

-In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application :Figure 1is a perspective view of the combination implement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing theloop thrown back. Fig. 3 is across section. Fig. 1 is a perspective View of one of the clamps. Fig. 5is a'perspective view of the cutter. Fig. 6 is aside view of amodification. Fig.

is a similar view of the modification showing the loops in reversedposition. Fig. 8 is an edge view of the cutting end of the largemodified loop.

The same reference characters denote the same parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings. V

The weeding loop 1, is composed of sheet steel having both edges 2sharpened for cutting with either edge of the loop as desired or-asoccasion may demand. Each end of the loop is pivoted to a square head 3of the handle 4:, by means of a pivotbolt 5 extend ing throughthe headand having a suitable Specification of Letters Patent.

head 3 is stud 8 on Patented Sept. 14, 1911.5.

Application filed October 7, 1914. .Serial No. 865,501.

said studs are oii-setfrom the center of the head'for engagement withone or the other of apertures 9 in the ends of theloop, and

for engagement with an aperture 10 in the inner end of the weeding blade7. The outer end of the blade 7 is concaved or has a semicircularcut-out 11, provided with a knife edge. It will be observed that theaperture 10 of the blade 7 is oii-set from the center and adjacent toone side edge of the blade for engaging one of the locking lugs so as tohold the blade straight upon the handle head, and so that the cuttingend of the blade 7 projects from said head in weeding position.

The toothed blade 12 consists of a strip or piece of sheet steel havingteeth 13 upon one edge thereofiand said blade is attachable to one sideof the loop 1, by means of 'mals, and for scraping lichen or tree mossfrom trees. The cutter 7 is used especially for cutting plantain ordandelion and the like, and as this cutter is fixed to the handle headand projects straight out therefrom, it

afiords means for certain weeding to which the loop is not particularlyapplicable.

In order to change the position or angle of the loop relative to thehead, the outer portion of the loop is compressed thereby lifting theends of the loop out of engagement with the locking lugs, so that theloop may be turned on its pivot and released for expansion to have anyone of the loop apertures engage the locking lugs. The loop may beplaced at a greater angle by having the loop ends over-ride the lugs sothat the edgeof said ends will engage the lugs.

It will be seen that the loop may be adjusted to various angles asdesired for expeditious application of the weeder, that the 1001) may bethrown back upon the handle and out of interference with the cut.

ter 7 when the latter is to be used, that one end of the loop supportsthe cutter, that either the cutter or the loop may be removed andreplaced when the use of only one or the other thereof is desired, andthat the toothed blade is attached by pressing or pushing the springclamps over the loop.

In order to furnish loops of different size on the same handle as may berequired in various weeding, I have provided a pair ofreversible loopsas shown 1n the modification, Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, whereinthe handle head is the same shape as the head hereinbefore described andis provided with stop lugs 16. This implement comprises two weedingloops 17 and 18,

which are pivoted to the head 15*, by means of a pivot bolt'19, and thepivot ends of r V the loops over-lap and are secured together bymeans'of a bolt 20, so that the loops extend in opposite directionsfrom. the pivot 19. The large loop 17 has a specially shaped for weedcutting. The weeding position of front cutting end 21, and the side arms22 of this loop are bowed outwardly so as not to engage the stop lugs16., but the end 21 rests upon the handle when the smaller loop 18 isused. When the position of the loops are reversed the ends of the loop17 rest against the-lugs16, and the head is reversed the small loop isat a slight angle to the head, and the weeding position of the largeloop is at a greater angle to the head.

This form of weeder is particularly applicable in weeding among smallplants growingclose together, as well as in weeding' plants having aWider space therebetween.

Obviously the loops and the head have only to be reversed for using oneor the other of the loops.

The practicalutility of this weeder enables the user to save time and toaccomplish more weeding with less labor than Oopies of this patent maybe obtained for usual. The difi'erentangles assumed by the loops greatlyassist in a weeding operation, and the reversible feature'of the loopsfacilitates the operation of the'implement.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting the application of theinvention, as it may be used' for various purposes as may be foundpractical, nor do I wish to beunderstood as confining the invention toany particular size, material, or means for mounting the parts on thehandle head,'but reserve to myself the right to make such changes andvariations therein as will-come within the scope of'the appended claims,

Having thus described my lnvention what I claim as newand desire tosecure by Letters Patent is I I Y 1. In a weeding implement, ahandle, a

handle head, a pivot projecting from each I side of the head, weedcutters connected with the head by said pivot, and locking'lugsprojecting from the pivotsides of the head, the pivot movement in onedirection being stopped by the lugs and the pivot movement 7 p i in theother direction being stopped" by the handle. 7 p r V 2. A compoundweeding implementcomprising a handle head having a pair of lockthereof,a resilient weed cutting loop pivoted to the head and having aperturesin theends ing lugs projecting from opposite sides thereof for engagingthe ,lugs, and a weed.

cutting blade held in projected position AUGUSTINE E. STAPLESQ"Witnesses:

HUGH HENRY, HENRY CROGKER.

Washington, D. G.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerof Patents, 7

